Present Trouble
by Shikihime
Summary: Deidara needs help picking out a present for Sasori but Ino needs something in return. Sasori seeks Gaara's help as well. Who will fall for who?


**My first fanfiction. So this ought to be fun so enjoy!**

**I do not own Naruto cause if I did Sasuke would be dead.**

* * *

"Psst! Ino-san!" Deidara whispered, peeking his head out of the dark alley. Ino turned around at the mention of her name. As she peered around behind her she saw a glimpse of Deidara peeking his head out of a dark alley. Wondering what that art bomber could possibly want with her, she turned around following him into the ally. Deidara, leaning against the wall looked up as he heard the footsteps of Ino.

"So what do you want Deidara? We're not exactly friends." Ino told him, her arms crossed and her face emotionless.

Deidara looked up at her, then quickly looking back down blushing from embarrassment. "Well you see…." He said, "I need your help on something…"

"I might help you," she said leaning in with a smile, "if the price is right. So what do you need help with? Assassination, information gathering, killing Tobi?"

"I need help picking out a gift for Sasori-kun. I don't know what I should get him!" Deidara said, now fully blushing partly due to the fact Ino's face hasn't moved an inch from his own.

"Ah, for that kind of help I require I special payment. How about a kiss? I could use some help too and you're the perfect man for the job." She said her lips twisting into a smile.

Speechless Deidara blushed, and before he could run away Ino had him pinned to the wall her face now only inches away. "Take a minute to decide. But I would say yes if I were you."

Then, Deidara cupping Ino's chin, leaned down and kissed her. Taken by surprise her eyes went wide, then slowly softened as her whole body went limp. Her heart was pounding from the cool taste of his lips. She stared up at him, her face burning up. As she stared at up at him, he let out a big grin.

She stood there for a few moments just staring at him before she angrily hit him and said, "What was that for! And here I thought you were some shy, scared art freak!"

"I was just doing what you asked me for," Deidara stated defiantly. "So will you help me now?"

"That wasn't what I meant by give me a kiss," Ino exclaimed, blushing.

"Then what exactly did you mean by a kiss, un? We do speak the same language right?" Deidara questioned her grinning.

"Well now that you have asked, I meant if you could have kissed me like that in _public_. But I guess that'll have to do for now." She sighed. "But I have to say you're a pretty good actor. I thought you were a spineless art freak."

"Oh, well acting is an art, but I'll admit I was a little scared of you. I've heard you Konoha girls were violent," he said laughing.

"I'm not violent!" she cried punching him, "That's just Sakura giving us all a bad name."

"Then why did you just punch me?" he said smirking as they walked out of the alley.

"I was proving a point."

"That you are violent."

"No, that you shouldn't insult me."

"I guess I'll have to keep that in mind. I have a feeling that you could be _quite _dangerous."

"So, art destroyer, why did you agree to kiss me? Isn't Sasori your boyfriend?" Ino questioned.

"First of all my name is Deidara!" He pointed out, his anger rising. Then after calming down a bit sighed, "If you must know, I really need some help finding a present and it's a long story but I need a certain person to see me with a girl. So… me and Sasori can still work together."

"But we were alone in an ally," she said

"Have you heard of ninjas?"

"Good point." She agreed stepping out of the ally.

* * *

"So where to?" Deidara questioned as they walked down a crowded street trying to keep up with Ino.

"He's the puppet guy right? Why don't you make a custom puppet for him? You're into art, you should be able to make one." Ino said as she scanned the shops looking for something.

"There's no way I could make a custom puppet for him, I'm clueless about lasting art." Deidara said rejecting her idea.

"Relax, relax," she told him walking toward a shop and then pointing to it. "See! You can make a puppet here and maybe even get a discount because I just happen to know the owner."

"Build-a-puppet? Why would there be a store like that here in Konoha?" Deidara wondered, puzzled looking at the brightly colored store with the windows almost blocked out with advisements for various shops and sales.

"Why does it matter? Here is what you need to create the perfect present for Sasori-san and hopefully get a discount. So let's go already!" She said grabbing the reluctant Deidara's hand dragging him into the store.

Walking in they were greeted with the sight of body parts hanging on the ceiling. "Well I can see why the windows are blocked out. Anyone walking by would think this is some mass murder scene," Ino remarked.

"Hello! Welcome to the sand village's Build-a-Puppet! How may I help you?" said a cheerily voice coming from behind the counter.

"Why are you working here?" Ino questioned

And at the same time Deidara said, "What are you doing here?"

"Working here sillies," said Mary, a young dark-haired girl with a huge grin. "I should be asking you two that." Leaning on her hand she informed them in all seriousness, "You guys make such a cute couple by the way."

"Oh, um..." Ino wondered what to say.

"It's not what you think…." Deidara started.

"Relax, I know you're with Sasori, Deidara. But you two do make a great couple and I'm sure there are some sort of feelings there," she teased motioning to their still holding hands from when Ino had dragged Deidara inside. Realizing this, Ino and Deidara to blush and start to pull apart their hands.

"Don't let go! I'm the one your boss sent to spy on you and I don't feel like lying." Mary warned as she leaned on the counter, keenly observing them.

Blushing Ino and Deidara kept their hands together, and changing the topic Ino asked, "So why are you working here? I thought you had a job."

"Ah, you know I take the occasional odd job. I took this one because Kankoro begged me too. It's pretty easy since everyone screams and runs away when they walk in." Ino had to refrain herself from laughing because Mary took more than the occasional odd job. She had some pretty outstanding money problems and took every job she can get. "But," she started to whine, "Why are you avoiding eye contact with me Deidara? Do you not like me?"

"….Un" Deidara said so quietly that Ino, standing right next to him, could only make out the un.

But Mary evidently understood because she replied right back. "Then look at me."

"…Un"

Mary sighed, "How about you two come a little closer so I can get you started on a puppet." They did as she said and Ino started to wonder what the relationship between those two were.

"So artist, what do you want to make for Sasori? A puppet of you? Or maybe him?" Ino questioned, unconsciously leaning up against Deidara. As Deidara realized this he started to blush, Ino unaware of what she was doing.

"I was thinking about some sort of bird like puppet. I happen to like birds and so does Sasori."

With that being said, Mary ran off to the back and returned with the quickness of well, a ninja. Placing feather puppet parts on the table she asked, "Will these work?"

"Yes, actually they're perfect. But how much is this going to cost?" Deidara said with the thought of his pathetically low amount of money.

"About five hundred dollars on average in parts, but if I know you, seven hundred." She answered.

"S-so much? Ino-san said she could get a discount. Can't you bring it down to four fifty?" He pleaded forgetting who he was talking to.

"Hmm, maybe if you two kissed to make it easier to give my report, but that would benefit us both. You guys should do something else for me, but what?" She thought out-loud. "I know! Can find Garra later and give this to him?" She said taking out an envelope. "Kankuro asked me to give it to him after work but I'm not going in that direction."

"I'll do it. But Garra is in town? Why is he here?" Ino questioned.

"Ahh, Tsunade-sama invited him to discuss some matters. But really it was just an excuse for him to take a vacation. He's been so stressed out lately being the Kazekage. So how about it Deidara, four hundred good enough?" She said staring him in the eye.

"That would be wonderful!" He exclaimed. "I'm going to start right away!" But before he could run off and start, Mary grabbed him by the collar.

"Hold it right there," she told him, "You guys still have to kiss. You guys do want me to lie about the nature of your relationship for you right? Do you know how scary _that_ guy is?" And then she whispered in Deidara's ear, "And how scary I can be?"

"Alright, alright, I think it's the least we can do," Ino agreed walking over to Deidara and softly kissed him. She looked up at him smirking.

"Not to shabby." Deidara commented turning a little pink.

"Too bad you're taken," Ino smiled before walking over to Mary. "Was that good enough for you?"

"Perfect, couldn't have done it better myself. You can go play now Deidara," she said shooing him away. "So what do you think?" she whispered.

"Of what?"

"Of him."

"It doesn't matter what I think of him. He's taken and oh did you happen to notice something? He's gay."

"All the good men are" Mary sighed.

"But since he is, you will spread the rumor that I was out with some guy? My plan for him to see us in public together has failed."

"Of course I will, us girls have to stick together right? Anyways, you need to get over Sasuke and somebody new might do you some good. And I wouldn't want you to be sad after what will happen to him" she said smiling demoniacally.

"You really don't like him do you…" Ino said flatly.

"Nope." Mary said as the door rang. Turning towards it she shouted, "Hello! Welcome to the sand village's Build-a-Puppet! How may I help you?"

"I'm looking for Kankoro is he here?" asked Sakura, looking surprised at both the shop and the people in it.

"Ah, he's not here Sakura, but what so you want with him anyways?" Mary questioned. She glanced back at Deidara consumed in his work.

"Gaara wanted me to deliver this message to him. Though, it was awful strange seeing him with Sasori-san. I didn't think they liked each other."

"Who knows. Anyway let me see the note." Mary demanded holding out her hand.

"No way! It's for Kankoro and Gaara would never want you to read his notes." Sakura said.

"Oh, just give it to me! I'm Kankoro's stand in anyway. Plus~ I have some limited edition photos of Naruto and Sasuke taken personally by moi." She smiled.

"Fine. I know you'll never stop bugging me if I don't give them to you anyway," she said holding out of the envelope giving up too easily. "Now where are those pict-" She said staring down at a pile of pictures in her hand.

"So let's see what Gaara wrote." She carefully opened the envelope and began to read.

"So what does it say?" Ino questioned trying to peer over the paper.

"Gaara never ceases to amaze," she laughed, "It says, Kankoro (or Mary if you managed to get your hands on this)come here immediately."

"Have you done this to him before?"

"A ninja never revels their secrets. And now I must go see what the red hairs want. Sakur-" Mary stopped mid-sentence stare at Sakura passed out from blood loss surrounded by a pool of blood, " On second thought Ino can you watch the store and these two for me? I shouldn't be gone for long Oh and I need that folder I gave you."

Before Ino could answer Mary was out the door running down the street and the folder Mary had given her earlier was gone. "I often wonder what the hell she is. Well I guess it's just us thr-" She stopped looking at the passed out Sakura and Deidara still consumed with the puppet. "Ah now I'm on my own. I sure hope Mary knows where she's going." Ino sighed with boredom.

* * *

**My OC wasn't supposed to play such a big part -_-. Hopefully she wasn't mood changing as much as I thought she was. Review=Smiles**


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